MIKE NELSON/AFP/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES: Mexican and US fans wave their nations flags as they cheer for their teams during the Gold Cup final between the United States and Mexico in Los Angeles. Mexico defeated the US 1-0 to take the cup.

U…S…A…¡Ponte la Verde!

World Cup 2014 kicked offWednesday, April 2 at our Crawford Family Forum as KPCC hosted a live viewing of U.S. vs Mexico, a friendly (non-qualifying) match featuring one of the fiercest rivalries in international sports play.

The last time these two teams met, the U.S. won and qualified for Brazil. Meanwhile, Mexico managed to squeak into the World Cup with a win over New Zealand after suffering one of its poorest showings in 2013. Mexico had a score to settle with the U.S. and the match in Glendale, AZ was the last time the coaches will see their teams play before heading to Brazil.

The heated and storied rivalry between U.S. and Mexico teams has captivated fans on both sides of the border. Our audience put their team gear on and joined us at our Crawford Family Forum

Who will you root for? What are your team's prospects in Brazil? What’s the future of soccer in North America?

Guests:Dave Denholm does soccer play-by-play for Fox Sports, as well as being the co-host of daily soccer podcasts at ThreeForAWin.com. He spent seven years as a talk show host, reporter and update anchor at 710 ESPN Radio LA.

Jorge Salcedo has been head coach of the UCLA Bruins men’s soccer team for ten seasons. He is a former UCLA All-American who played with the LA Salsa in the American Professional Soccer League (APSL) and F.C. Morelia of Liga MX (the top level of the Mexican football league system) before his five years in Major League Soccer (MLS). Salcedo is also a past member of and current scout for the U.S. National Team program.

Gustavo Vargas ("Chubidú'') is currently is the sports anchor for Mundo Fox 22 in Los Angeles. His past 25 years in L.A. media includes 12 years as the voice of Fox Sports Deportes.
Vargas has covered the last 6 World Cups for radio, television and newspapers.